Sophia

 

 

"You've done excellent work on this collection, Sophia." Sasha holds up the latest sample I created. It's a fitted dress with an embroidered bodice and a slit up the back of the skirt. "I'm impressed with this one in particular. I think we should have one of our team make a mock-up in red."

I'd considered that before I'd taken hours out of my life to make it in black. "That's fine. We can show both to Gabriel."

"We will." Her fingers play with the pearl bracelet on her arm. "I have to admit; I was hesitant when Gabriel first suggested this idea."

"The idea of the Ella Kara label bearing my name?" I've expected this conversation for weeks. Sasha has held a pivotal position within the design department of Foster Enterprises for years. She's nurtured the careers of many aspiring designers and has watched several, including Evlin Dawn, branch out and establish collections of their own. It has to sting that I was given this opportunity and not her.

"I knew you had talent." She touches my forearm, her fingers gentle. "We had a discussion more than a year ago when I came up to Gabriel's office. Do you recall?"

I would have felt embarrassed to have this conversation a few months ago, but not now. I've proven my worth to her and to everyone who has been working in this department for years. "I criticized your choices in the winter line last year."

She straightens, her hands going to her hips. "I questioned myself for months about those choices. I debated them, changed them, and then changed them back."

It's the first I've heard of it. I assumed she was confident in the pieces she'd chosen. Her demeanor during that conversation suggested as much.

"I knew that day that you had a special sense about you." She turns to stare at the white board where I've sketched each piece that I'm including in Ella Kara's initial offering. "I mentioned it to Gabriel. He told me it was expected that you'd have an opinion since you worked in the industry as an assistant."

I'm not surprised that Mr. Foster viewed it that way. I was there to cater to him. That's what the man was paying me for. My value beyond that wasn't apparent. "He wasn't aware that I was a designer back then."

"None of us were." She moves to face me again. "I'll retire in the next year or two, Sophia. I'm glad I didn't before now. Working with you on this has been one of the highlights of my career."

I swallow back the flood of emotion I feel. "You can't know how much your words mean to me. I've idolized you for a very long time."

"Not that long." She taps the tip of my nose with her finger. "You've admired me for a few years, dear. It's been just a few years."

I smile at the reminder not to bring up her age. "Yes, you're right. It's been a few years and having the chance to work with you has made me a better designer. "

 

***

 

"You told Nicholas about Franco?" Cadence stands in the lobby of my apartment building. "Things must be serious."

I'd called her on my lunch break to fill her in. I could tell she was surprised, but I had no idea it would shock her enough to lure her down to my building at the end of the day. "I hadn't brought him here yet. I thought he deserved an explanation."

I'm tempted to let her respond, but I don't. I keep talking. "Why are you here? I thought you were meeting Tyler for dinner at Nova tonight."

"He bailed." She tries to fasten a button in the middle of her coat but it's never going to happen. Her belly has popped and the coat is at least two sizes too small now. "I thought we could hang out and catch up on our Netflix show."

I hate to turn her away. Cadence has always been there for me but this dinner at Mr. Foster's is exactly what I need tonight. I haven't seen Nicholas in days. I've been too busy with the impending Ella Kara launch and he's been immersed in the novel he's writing. Our only communication has been a few calls and text messages.

"I'm sorry, Den. I have plans. I'm going to Mr. Foster's apartment for dinner tonight."

"You're what?" Her expression immediately brightens. "That's a big deal, Soph. You're rubbing elbows with Manhattan's elite."

"I'm not," I scoff as I loop my arm through hers. "Come upstairs and we can talk while I get ready."

"Do you have any chocolate chip cookies?"
"I think so." I stab the elevator call button. "Do you have a craving?"

Tipping her chin, she looks down at me. "I do. Please tell me you have goat cheese."

I step back as several people exit the elevator. "You're not planning on combining those two things, are you?"

"I'm going to make a chocolate chip, goat cheese sandwich while you get ready for your fancy dinner."

I move forward onto the elevator once it's cleared. "I just lost my appetite."